LETTERS

The Cup was decided, as always, by a handful of putts, none of
which were struck by either captain.
RANDY BRIGGS, Ocala, Fla.

RYDER CUP

As a U.S. citizen raised in Spain, I cannot help but say that
Rick Reilly nailed it big time in his amusing Ryder Cup story
(Ole! Ole!, Oct. 6). If American golfers learn to be more humble
and stop underestimating the talent of the Europeans, they will
have a shot at gaining the Cup back in 1999.
MICHAEL J. RIBERA Washington, D.C.

The anguish on Tiger Woods's face in Robert Beck's cover photo
said it all.
JEAN COPPIN, Lake Tahoe, Nev.

The Americans lost the Ryder Cup because they were outcoached?
Outcoached in a golf tournament? Get real. The Americans lost
because they made fewer good shots.
TIMOTHY PACI, Dundas, Ont.

European captain Seve Ballesteros deserves a lot of credit, no
question about that; but U.S. captain Tom Kite does not deserve
the subtle, cynical put-down that Rick Reilly laid on him. Was
Reilly there? Didn't he sense the smell of victory as the U.S.
team staged a near-miss comeback on that last day? "Polishing
the brass on the Titanic"? Bull!
GEORGE BUSH, Houston

TEAMMATES' TRAGEDY

As a Washington State alumnus, class of 1967, I was touched by
John Walters's poignant account of Cougars Ryan McShane and
Jason McEndoo (The Long Way Back, Oct. 6). I was also reminded
of some apt lyrics from our alma mater: "When the sad hours come
to you, and sorrows round you play, just sing the songs of
Washington, the Crimson and the Gray." I hope that McShane and
McEndoo can find some consolation there.
LEIGH HESS, Long Beach, Calif.

Football offered McShane and McEndoo an opportunity to
reestablish a friendship that may last the rest of their lives.
BILL SABLAN, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

I am going to save this article so that if I ever have a son, he
may learn what it is like to have a teammate.
RICK VOTH, Cave Creek, Ariz.

BOB AND BRIAN GRIESE

I grew up in Florida cheering Bob Griese when he played for the
Miami Dolphins (His Father's Son, Oct. 13). I never guessed that
20 years later I would be rooting for his son Brian. While in
graduate school at Michigan, I was a teaching assistant in a
communications class in which young Griese was enrolled. (He was
a model student.) As a boy, I wanted to grow up to be like Bob.
As a man, I'd love to have my son grow up to be like Brian.
THOMAS BUHR, Ann Arbor, Mich.

I hope Brian Griese's ambition to emulate his father's unflashy
and productive style of quarterbacking leads the Wolverines to
the same benchmarks of perfection that his father attained with
Purdue (a Rose Bowl appearance) and the Dolphins (a perfect
season).
MICHAEL MCLAUGHLIN, Belmont, Mass.

MVPs

Writing about Larry Walker of the Rockies (MVP?, Oct. 6), Tom
Verducci says, "Baseball archaeologists should not sift through
the Baseball Encyclopedia, come upon these Jurassic
numbers--.366, 49 homers and 130 RBIs--and have to wail, 'He
didn't win the MVP?'" Baseball archaeologists can wail twice
over Ted Williams, who was named MVP in 1946 and in '49, but not
in the two years in which he won the Triple Crown. In 1942
Williams hit .356 with 36 home runs and 137 RBIs. The Yankees'
Joe (Flash) Gordon was given the MVP for his "batting and
fielding excellence." Gordon hit .322. Williams was again denied
in '47 despite another Triple Crown. New York's Joe DiMaggio won
with a .315 average and 97 RBIs.
HERM BRUNOTTE, Town of Tonawanda, N.Y.

B/W PHOTO: DAYTONA BEACH NEWS JOURNAL [Frank Lockhart's Stutz Black Hawk car]

LAND SPEED RECORDS

I think Richard Hoffer erred in The Great Race (Sept. 29) when
he said that Craig Breedlove was the first driver to almost
drown while attempting to set a world land speed record. On Feb.
22, 1928, at Daytona Beach, Frank Lockhart's Stutz Black Hawk
(above) hit some soft sand, turned over and went into the ocean.
Lockhart was pulled from the water and survived, but two months
later, on April 25, again at Daytona Beach and driving the same
car, Lockhart was thrown into the air when a tire blew and was
killed instantly.
VENLO WOLFSOHN, Bethesda, Md.